OREANDA-NEWS. April 02, 2012. Essar Energy plc [LSE: ESSR], the India-focused integrated energy company, today announced that it has appointed Steve Lucas as its fifth non-executive director with immediate effect.

Mr Lucas was finance director at the power and gas transmission network operator National Grid plc from 2002 to 2010 and has significant expertise in the international energy sector, infrastructure finance and treasury functions.

Prior to National Grid, Mr Lucas worked for 11 years at Royal Dutch Shell and for six years at BG Group, latterly as group treasurer.

Mr Lucas is currently a non-executive director of Transocean Ltd, the offshore oil and gas drilling company, and was also recently appointed as a non-executive director of Tullow Oil plc. He retired last year as a non-executive director of the catering company Compass Group plc where he was chairman of the audit committee.

Prashant Ruia, the Essar Energy interim chairman, said: “Steve will add a lot of international energy sector expertise and valuable experience to the Essar Energy board, and we are very much looking forward to working with him. He has handled many large scale investments in complex regulatory environments and will bring a great deal of insight to our business.”

Mr Lucas said: “India is going to be a compelling growth story for many years to come and Essar Energy has a crucial role to play by providing the energy to help drive that economic growth. I am very much looking forward to working with Essar Energy as it consolidates its position in this very dynamic market.”